


-{Red and Silver}-

by ShummTheChumm



Series: {Red and Silver : PO3 REWRITE} [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, Gen, Inspired by Warriors - Erin Hunter, M/M, Major Character(s), Multi, Other, Rewrite of Warriors - Erin Hunter, RiverClan (Warriors), ShadowClan (Warriors), ThunderClan (Warriors), Warriors - Erin Hunter Fix-It, WindClan (Warriors), ill add more tags when they are needed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:15:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25276768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShummTheChumm/pseuds/ShummTheChumm
Summary: if leafpool had fallen for a traitor
Relationships: Brambleclaw/Squirrelflight (Warriors), Hawkfrost/Leafpool (Warriors)
Series: {Red and Silver : PO3 REWRITE} [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1874839
Comments: 4
Kudos: 92





	-{Red and Silver}-

**Author's Note:**

> *this chapter takes place at the beginning of chap. 21 of "sunset"

“They’re doing just fine.” Leafpool meowed, stepping back from Sorreltail’s kits. “You must be very proud.”

Swallowing a bit of thrush (provided by Leafpool), Sorreltail chuckled. “I am, but I’m sure they’ll be into all kinds of mischief when they’re a little bigger.” The queen’s eyes glinted with amusement. “Worse than Daisy’s even.” she glanced at her belly. “Cinderkit needs watching already.”

Leafpool looked down at the sleeping pile of kittens, where they lay purring. Warmth rushed over her as she remembered what Spottedleaf had shown her. How long would it be before the Clan realized the truth about Cinderkit? Leafpool longed to share the knowledge that her old mentor had been reborn into this kit, but she knew the time had not come yet.

“You’ll need to get all the rest you can, then,” she mewed to Sorreltail. “And keep your strength up. Four kits at once are a big responsibility.”

“I know.” Sorreltail replied. “ I’m really glad you’re here, Leafpool.”

Leafpool shut her eyes for a moment, trying to remember the feelings that had made her consider abandoning her Clan. It was like a shadow inside her, just out of reach. But now it swelled, filling her mind; she tried to shake it off, but the dark feelings seemed to build and build inside her, the guilt changing into a vision of blood and roaring, drowning the soft sounds of Sorreltail’s kits and the warm, milky scents of the nursery. A new--no--a _familiar_ scent flooded her senses.

_Something terrible is happening—oh, StarClan, but what can it be?_

She stumbled blindly out into the clearing, ignoring Sorreltail’s startled exclamation behind her. Once in the open, she realized that everything was peaceful. The clearing

was almost deserted, with most cats out on patrol. Bright sunlight shone down from a blue sky streaked with a few fine wisps of cloud. But Leafpool knew that something was horribly wrong—if not here, then out in the forest. Frantically, she raced across the clearing, ignoring the puzzled looks from Cloudtail and Brightheart at the fresh-kill pile. Bursting out of the thorn tunnel, she almost crashed into Squirrelflight.

“Hey!” her sister exclaimed. bristling. However, the dark ginger she-cat relaxed at the sight of her disgruntled littermate. “Take it easy. What’s the matter?”

“Something dreadful,” Leafpool panted. “Badgers—Twolegs—I don’t know. Have you seen anything?”

“No.” Squirrelflight rested her tail on her sister’s shoulder to calm her. “Everything’s fine. I’ve just been looking for Brambleclaw. The annoying furball went off without me. I tried to follow his scent, but I lost it.”

“No, everything’s not fine.” The certainty of her terror rippled through Leafpool’s pelt and struck cold into her bones. _Brambleclaw is missing?_ “ThunderClan is in great danger. Will you come with me?”

“Of course, but where are we going?”

“I don’t know!” Leafpool’s voice rose. “Oh, StarClan, show us the way!”

She had hardly finished speaking before she heard the sound of a cat blundering through the undergrowth. Fronds of bracken waved wildly as Ashfur dashed into the open. His fur stood on end and his blue eyes were wild with fear. “Leafpool!” he gasped. “It’s Firestar . . . he’s caught in a fox trap.”

“Where? Why didn’t you get him out?” Squirrelflight demanded, her green eyes blazing.

“Because he’s . . . Brambleclaw is there too.” Ashfur was gasping for air as if he’d just dragged himself out of deep water. “And Hawkfrost is with him—a RiverClan cat on our territory. I couldn’t take on both of them at once. I had to come for help.” He pointed with his tail toward the lake.

“That way. Hurry!”

“Go back to camp!” Squirrelflight ordered, lashing her tail. Ashfur stared at the she-cat, blue eyes widened. Leafpool rushed past him through the thick underbrush. Brambles lashed and clawed at her face and pelt, but she barely noticed as she charged forward. Behind her, she could hear her sister chase after her.

“Fetch more cats to help!” Squirrelflight yelled behind her.

The Thunderclan she-cats tore free of the thicket and met up shoulder-to-shoulder. Neither uttered a word. They were both too occupied with their own thoughts to speak.

 _Oh Hawkfrost,_ the medicine cat mused. _What have you done?_

Ashfur’s fear-scent was strong; he had left a trail to follow to the lake. Surely they’d be lost without it. The sisters broke through bush and leapt over roots. Leafpool’s belly twisted and churned, and she felt the urge to vomit right then and there. The premonition of danger that had washed over her in the nursery had made sense now. _If anything has happened to Firestar I’ll never forgive myself!_ Leafpool held back a cry of anguish. What could be worse than losing her father? A cat she loved?

A sudden swell of the mistrust she had felt for Brambleclaw had finally crashed into her, like a massive wave. The prospect of him and Hawkfrost conspiring against her father was a heavy one, like a stone sinking to the deepest depths of a lake. She gulped and silently prayed that both toms had been able to resist the influence of their father.

Leafpool perked up at the sight of the lake in the distance. _Not far now,_ she panted. _Starclan, I hope we’re not too late!_ The medicine cat twitched her nose. She stumbled at the smell of fresh blood. Lots of it. No cat could survive losing that much of it...

The medicine cat felt light as she and Squirrelflight picked up the pace. Several feet ahead of them, she could see the faint outline of the water’s edge.

The smell of blood now stained the air.

Finally, the brown she-cat skidded around the roots of the tree and came to a fault. Ahead of her lay the limp frame of her father, just on the shore. Above him loomed Brambleclaw. Leafpool gaped at the blood matting the tom's body.

 _I was right! Brambleclaw is a traitor!_ Leafpool felt a surge of betrayal and hatred for the tabby tom. _He murder my father just to become Clan leader!_ She inhaled sharply before letting out a yowl of grief. Brambleclaw quickly snapped his head to her, amber eyes slits.

Suddenly, Firestar’s body moved. “Leafpool?” He called out. Shakily, Firestar heaved himself to stand, wobbling on his weak legs. The ginger tom tried to shout, but his voice was raspy and quiet. “Leafpool, it’s alright! Brambleclaw has done nothing to harm me!” The Thunderclan leader stumbled forward and lurched towards his daughter.

Leafpool stared at her father in shock before running forward to cling to him. She breathed in deeply, absorbing Firestar’s scent. He was warm, and though she smelled a little blood, he wasn’t dead (?)! The medicine cat felt another body bump into her from her side. With a quick glance, she found Squirrelflight there was well; tightly embracing the older tom. The dark ginger she-cat turned to eye the solitary Brambleclaw.

“ _What have you done_?” Leafpool hissed over Firestar’s shoulder. Brambleclaw flinched at his classmate's tone. The she-cat’s voice was usually warm and gentle, always so ready to comfort her patients. The large tabby tom peeked down at his dirty fur, quiet.

“I...I didn’t want this to happen…” Brambleclaw whispered. The blood on his pelt seemed to hypnotize him, his eyes growing distant. Leafpool squinted at his paws. There was mud dried to his claws, which were bloody and broken. Beside them was a long, whisker-like object. It was a part of a fox trap. _Fox trap?_ Leafpool contemplated. What has happened here? Firestar shifted against his kin, nuzzling them both warmly.

“It was Hawkfrost.” the Thunderclan leader murmured. Leafpool stiffened. “He had led both me _and_ Bramblecaw into his trap, but it’s alright now. I’m alright now.”

Realization wormed itself into the she-cat’s brain. Squirrelflight’s face transformed to one of confusion into one of shock. She gently left her father’s hug and whipped around to face Brambleclaw. “Oh, Brambleclaw!” she ran to meet the tabby tom. “Oh Brambleclaw, thank you! You’ve saved his life!”

Despite the state of the tom’s pelt, the dark ginger warrior bumped her head into Brambleclaw’s chin. “Thank you so much-” Squirrelflight purred.

“I did what any cat would have done.” he interrupted.

“But where is Hawkfrost?” Leafpool cut in. Firestar’s muzzle tightened.

“Brambleclaw killed him.” he uttered. With his tail, he motioned to a collection of stones; hidden behind the frames of Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight.

Leafpool’s heart stopped beating. _What? He’s...been killed?!_ Several strong emotions clawed at her chest, but there were too many to pinpoint a specific one. How could he be dead? It hadn’t been _that_ long since she had last seen him; and the Riverclan tom had been as alive as ever. There was no way that he could be dead _now_!

The medicine cat pushed past Firestar and stepped in something sticky. at a fresh line of blood. Raising one paw, Leafpool felt her tail drop at the sight of red. Instantly her eyes snapped to the grass. There was blood _everywhere_ , and it didn’t stop at her paws. The brown she-cat surveyed the trail as it led her eyes to a patch of broken reeds and ferns. The metallic smell abruptly swamped Leafpool’s nose. She gagged as the scent hit the back of her throat. The medicine cat followed the path of blood up to the stretch of plants, their stems snapped and bleeding. Trembling, Leafpool peaked behind the clump of foliage.

~

Slumped against the stones was a dark brown body. Red painted it’s neck fluff and trickled into the water. Hawkfrost’s corpse was wet and bloodied, and something was plunged through his throat.

 _The fox trap._ Leafpool gawked. The silver stick was driven straight though the dead warrior’s neck. Had Brambleclaw... _stabbed_ him? Leafpool’s stomach began to churn once more and she had to choke back bile. Desperately she ripped her eyes away. The gruesome sight was burned into her mind, however. Somewhere far away, Leafpool heard Firestar speaking. His words were fuzzy and unclear. He may have been calling her name, but the she-cat had heard none of it. _His voice must be damaged._ Leafpool concluded.

Waves crashed against Hawkfrost’s body, pulling at the scarlet liquid and dragging into the water. It ran along the pebbles he laid against before also mixing into the lake.

“ _Before all is peaceful, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red_ ,” she whispered.

The prophecy that had haunted her at every pawstep for so long had been fulfilled. Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost were kin; indeed, blood had spilled blood. Hawkfrost had been killed by his halfbrother to save Firestar. And as much as she had not wanted it to be true, she had been right. Hawkfrost was a traitor; blood-thirsty and ambitious, just like his father Tigerstar. Now Mothwing, her best friend, could be free from his control, her secret was safe! Firestar isn’t dead, and Brambleclaw _isn’t_ as bad as his half brother and father, and the Clans were finally able to settle down and claim the peace they had so desperately fought for.

 _So why aren’t I happy?_ Leafpool thought.

Leafpool padded away from the dead cat and went to join her father and sister. Firestar leaned heavily against Squirrelflight. He was struggling to keep himself upright, dependent on his daughter to keep him from falling. Beside them stood Brambleclaw, staring blankly into the trees. Apparently, he was still in shock. He made no effort to clean away Hawkfrost’s blood and the caked mud from his claws.

“It’s over.” Leafpool told them quietly. Squaring her shoulders, she lifted her head to the rising sun. Bright beams bounced along the rippling lake water. “It’s over, and peace has come.”

Leafpool’s belly churned.


End file.
